Outdoor Halloween Decorations

Frequently Asked Halloween Outdoor Decor Questions

Stand Out With the Best Outdoor Halloween Decorations

Whether you prefer the cute, the monstrous, the humorous, or the hide-behind-your-fingers terrifying, the best outdoor Halloween decor makes any home a memorable one on the block. It also helps set the stage for what guests can expect from your indoor Halloween decorations.

Ashley’s outdoor Halloween decorations can help you roll out a fall welcome during the day with wooden porch boards, doormats, wreaths, and yard signs. Then flip a switch to light up the night with fun Halloween yard decorations pre-lit with LED lights that avoid the horror of any burned-out bulbs (or not having time to carve or decorate a jack-o’-lantern).

How Do You Decorate Outside For Halloween?

Halloween has so many outdoor Halloween decoration ideas that it’s tempting to want to use everything: pumpkins, bats, cats, spiders, ghosts, and more. But even if this is your favorite holiday, designers recommend taking the time to plan your outdoor Halloween decor so it doesn’t look like you just threw it together.

Try telling a story by immersing visitors in a particular tone or theme, such as skulls or skeletons. Choose a front door wreath featuring a skull or skeletal hands accented with black flowers and pops of orange ribbon; then match that to a mock gravestone with LED lights featuring a depiction of a skeleton—or even a bony hand waving hello from the ground.

If you’re more of a friendly sort than a ghoul, light up the yard with cheery pumpkin Halloween yard decorations that won’t startle the trick-or-treaters. Whatever theme or tone you choose, don’t crowd your outdoor Halloween decor. Give everything enough space so that guests can appreciate the whole look.

When Should You Decorate Outside For Halloween?

Design experts say that the most popular time to decorate for Halloween is within the first two weeks of October, but many people decorate in late September once the air feels brisk. If you live in a warmer climate, avoid picking a real pumpkin until closer to Halloween. Instead, ease into the season with Halloween lanterns and candle holders and Halloween pillows and throw blankets that add color and a bit of Halloween spirit to your seating on the porch and patio.

How Can I Make My House Look Scary for Halloween Outside?

Again, designers recommend telling a story by staging your decorations. Go easy on the fake blood (which might be tough to see after dark) and try draping black or white gauze around the entryway like spiderwebs. Use outdoor lighting to create creepy shadows and highlight certain elements, such as spiders dangling from the trees.